BOX SCORE
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - No. 4-seeded Colorado Mesa upset No. 1-seeded Augustana with a 5-4 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Championships Sunday at Huether Tennis Centre.
The Mavericks improve to 19-8.
Augustana fell behind early in the dual, dropping all three doubles matches for the first time this season against a Division II opponent. Kristyn Wykert and Skyler Nelson were the first doubles pair to win a point for CMU. They earned an 8-4 decision against
Adrienne Conley and
Gabrielle Kachena at No. 3. Shannen McNamara and Kaylee Davis fought back from a deficit to claim a 9-7 victory over Augustana's
Hannah Gebauer and
Heather Sullivan at No. 2. The loss was just the second for the duo who finished the season with a team-best 20 doubles wins. Kelleen Sera and Kaitlan Sera outlasted
Katie Jesperson and
Michelle Wadas 9-8 (7-3) on the top doubles court to complete the sweep.
The Mavericks moved their lead to 4-0 when No. 4 Davis topped Sullivan 6-4, 6-0.
The next four points went in favor of the Vikings with No. 6
Jenna Helleberg recording a 6-4, 6-4 victory over McLaughlin before No. 2 Wadas took down Kaitlan Sera 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. Helleberg concluded her freshman campaign 13-0 and Wadas notched a team-high 18 singles wins on the season. Gebauer battled for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3 victory over McNamara at the No. 3 spot and No. 1 Jesperson came up big with a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-2 win over Kelleen Sera.
With the match knotted 4-4, Kristyn Wykert clinched the win for CMU by defeating
Liz Lewis 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1.
The Vikings end their season 18-4. Augustana has made three NCAA tournament appearances (2010, 2011 and 2012) and the Vikings are now 2-3 all-time in NCAA postseason competition.
